Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tescreda Improved’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Tescreda Improved’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit; white and red purple-colored flowers with short pedicels; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Alstroemeria hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TESCREDA IMPROVED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, grown typically as a potted garden Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Tescreda Improved’.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted garden Alstroemeria plants that flower continuously and have attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Alstroemeria plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tescreda’, not patented. The new Alstroemeria plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Tescreda’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in June, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alstroemeria plant by root divisions in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands since September, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Tescreda Improved’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Tescreda Improved’ as a new and distinct Alstroemeria plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. White and red purple-colored flowers with short pedicels.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘Tescreda’. Plants of the new Alstroemeria differ from plants of ‘Tescreda’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria are larger and more vigorous         than plants of ‘Tescreda’.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have larger flowers than         plants of ‘Tescreda’.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Teswhitin’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Alstroemeria differ primarily from plants of ‘Teswhitin’ in flower color as plants of ‘Teswhitin’ have white-colored flowers with more and longer stripes on the tepals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Tescreda Improved’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown during the winter in 4.6-liter containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Kudelstaart, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 16° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 14° C. Plants were 15 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida ‘Tescreda Improved’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Alstroemeria     hybrida ‘Tescreda’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By root divisions.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About seven             weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eight             weeks at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy; up to 2 cm in thickness;             white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounded habit;             freely branching habit with about 24 primary lateral             branches developing per plant, dense and bushy appearance;             sturdy and strong plants; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 26.3 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 43.2 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Aspect.—Mostly upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Length.—About 14.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 9 mm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 144B with a dull outer layer, close to 144D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; below the peduncles in a single             whorl; simple.         -   Length.—About 5.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N138B; venation,             close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to N137B; venation, close to 144A to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm to             4 mm. Color: Close to 143A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single zygomorphic flowers arranged             in compound umbels; flowers face mostly outwardly; perianth             segments separate; freely flowering habit with about seven             flowers per inflorescence and about 150 flowers developing             per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about eight             weeks after planting; flowering continuous from early April             through the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About ten days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Narrowly obovate. Color: Proximal half, close to 145C             to 145D; distal, close to 147A to 147B.         -   Umbel height.—About 8.7 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 11.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm by 6.1 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 6 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth: Length, lateral segments: About 6 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 2.1 cm. Length, median segment:             About 5.1 cm. Width, median segment: About 2.1 cm. Size,             outer perianth: Length, all segments: About 6 cm. Width, all             segments: About 3.7 cm. Shape, inner perianth, lateral and             median segments: Narrowly obovate. Shape, outer perianth,             lateral and median segments: Obcordate. Apex, inner             perianth, lateral and median segments: Abruptly acute. Apex,             outer perianth, lateral and median segments: Broadly retuse             with a small abruptly acute point. Base, inner and outer             perianths, lateral and median segments: Attenuate or             cuneate. Margin, inner and outer perianths, lateral and             median segments: Entire. Texture, inner and outer perianths,             lateral and median segments: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner             perianth: When opening, all segments, upper surface: Close             to 150D; central spot, close to 63B; apex and base, close to             146C; spots and streaks on lateral segments, close to 187A.             When opening, all segments, lower surface: Close to 150D;             central spot, close to 63B; apex and base, close to 146C.             Fully opened, lateral segments, upper surface: Between 150D             and 155A; central spot, close to 63B; towards the apex,             close to NN155B; towards the base, close to N155B; apex and             base, close to 146C; spots and streaks, close to 187A; color             does not change with development. Fully opened, median             segment, upper surface: Close to NN155C to NN155D; central             spot, close to 58C; apex and base, close to 144C to 144D;             color does not change with development. Fully opened,             lateral segments, lower surface: Between 150D and 155A;             central spot, close to 58B to 58C; towards the apex, close             to NN155B; towards the base, close to 170D; apex and base,             close to 146C; spots and streaks, close to 200D; color does             not change with development. Fully opened, median segments,             lower surface: Between 150D and 155A; central spot, close to             58B to 58C; towards the apex, close to NN155B; towards the             base, close to 170D; apex and base, close to 146C; spots and             streaks, close to 200D; color does not change with             development. Color, outer perianth: When opening, all             segments, upper surface: Close to 157C to 157D; central             spot, close to 185B; apex and base, close to 137B to 137C.             When opening, all segments, lower surface: Close to 157C to             157D; central spot, close to 184A to 184B; apex, close to             144A to darker than 144A; base, tinged with close to 63D.             Fully opened, all segments, upper surface: Close to NN155C             to NN155D; central spot, close to between 54A and 59D; apex,             close to 138B; base, close to 62D; color does not change             with development. Fully opened, all segments, lower surface:             Close to NN155C to NN155D; central spot, close to 58B; apex,             between 144A and 147A; base, tinged with close to 63D; color             does not change with development.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: Erect to about 30° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Filament length: About 3.4 cm. Filament color: Close to 68B;             towards the base, lighter than 68B. Anther shape: Oblong to             elliptical. Anther length: About 6 mm. Anther color: Close             to 152D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to             195B to 195C. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 3.8 cm. Style length: About 3.1 cm. Style             color: Close to 63B to 63D. Stigma shape: Tri-parted; parts,             club-shaped, curved. Stigma color: Close to 63B. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Alstroemeria. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemeria plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and     rain. Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been observed to tolerate     high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness     Zone 8. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Alstroemeria plant named ‘Tescreda Improved’ as illustrated and described. 